Tag Archives: yarn

Hill Country Hat

Image via Pom Pom

Image via Pom Pom

The article I wrote for Pom Pom Issue 4: Verdant Stitches chronicles a trip to Texas Hill Country, where Joey and I stayed in a big ranch house with some of our good friends while the guys were recording an album.  The issue is available HERE and also contains a bonus pattern for my Hill Country Hat, which I knitted during the trip.

Image via Pom Pom

Image via Pom Pom

Be sure to check out the preview of the other lovely patterns in this issue of Pom Pom.  They are so gorgeous, you will surely want to knit them all.

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Psst….

Just wanted to share the sneak peek teaser that Pom Pom Quarterly have released for their upcoming Spring Issue:

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image source: Pom Pom Quarterly

I have a travelogue article featured in this issue and maybe even a teensy little pattern to go along with it!  I’m very excited to be a part of this issue, as Pom Pom is such an exciting new publication for the knitting community.

PRE ORDER  Issue 4 or SUBSCRIBE to the next four issues.

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How To: Make a Pom Pom

Oh the pom pom.  I’m seeing them everywhere these days.  They are such a fun way to embellish knits, crafts and even use in home decor. Here’s a simple way to make your own pom poms.

Materials:

Yarn: I find it best to use yarns with plies that don’t unravel- that way your pom won’t have frayed edges.  Wool is my favorite go-to yarn for making poms.  The yarn pictured is Cascade 220.

Cardboard: for making a reusable pom pom template.

Scissors: a sturdy pair that will cut easily though cardboard.

Glass, or a circular object for tracing circles onto cardboard.  Your circle diameter will be the approximate size of your finished pom.  The finished pom shown is around 3 inches in diameter.

Quarter, or other small circular object for tracing smaller circles onto cardboard.

Pen: for tracing

Step One:

Gather all materials listed above.

step1

Step Two:

Trace two large circles onto cardboard using the glass as a guide.

tracing circles 1

Step Three:

Trace a smaller circle in the center of each larger circle using the quarter as a guide.

tracing circles 2

Step Four:

Cut out the cardboard circles, cutting a 1/2 inch wide wedge opening on one side of each circle.

circles

Step Five:

Holding both cardboard circles together, start wrapping the yarn around the circles.  Make sure to cover all of the cardboard and wrap many layers of yarn; the more yarn you use, the fluffier your pom poms will be.

wrapping 1

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Step Six:

Once finished wrapping, cut the yarn end.  Cut a length of yarn about 10 inches long and set aside for later.

length of yarn

Step Seven:

Place your thumb in the center of the circle to secure yarn and start cutting the edges of the yarn by guiding the scissors between the two pieces of cardboard.

cutting1

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Step Eight:

After cutting about half of the yarn, slide the length of yarn you set aside between the two pieces of cardboard to start securing the cut pieces of yarn.  Make sure not to let any cut pieces get loose.  Continue cutting all of the yarn that is wrapped, and tighten the length of yarn around the center, gathering all cut ends tightly.  Tie in a few knots to secure.

secured

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Step Nine:

Remove the cardboard circles and fluff your pom pom into a circular shape.  Trim any long ends.

trimming

Step Ten:

POM IT UP!

pomitup

What will you pom?

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A Walk in the Woods

Today Joey and I went for a walk at a nature preserve near our house.  It was so amazing walking down a winding trail covered in fallen leaves while looking up at massive trees arching over our heads.  It was just what I needed to make me feel centered again.

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We also took advantage of our beautiful surroundings to take photos for my newest design.  I’m working on the pattern now and having it test knitted.  I can’t wait to share it with you.  Here’s a sneak peek:

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New Pattern: Bushwick Beanie

The Bushwick Beanie is an easy to knit cabled hat that can be knitted as a classic-fitting beanie or with a bit of Brooklyn-inspired slouch.

Both versions knit up quickly with bulky weight yarn (110 yards for the classic version or 130 yards for the slouchy version) on size US 10 ½ (6.5 mm) double pointed needles (or appropriate needle size to obtain gauge at 3.75 stiches per inch). The pattern includes charted and line-by-line instructions for each version and can be purchased via Ravelry by clicking the link below.

Buy it Now  or View Pattern Page on Ravelry

I knit the original slouchy version about a year ago when Joey and I were living in Bushwick and he needed a warm hat. Since then, it has traveled with him on tour and kept him warm in NYC, Texas, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Ireland, England and Portugal. When a hat sees that kind of mileage, sometimes you need a backup (or two!) and so I decided to knit another one for him with a more classic look and fit.

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Stash Party

I woke up Saturday morning dreaming of yarn.  I had an overwhelming desire to go through my yarn stash for inspiration, so I decided to do a little reorganizing while I was at it.  I usually keep everything in shoebox-sized boxes from ikea inside my armoire, but keeping everything contained in boxes makes it easy to forget some of the goodies that lurk under those lids.

I still have some yarn in boxes (the brown and white  flowered boxes in the background of the top shelf), but I decided to display my favorite yarns front and center, so I can be inspired.  I open these doors every day and smile while contemplating what I want to knit with each skein on that shelf.  I have many colors of Palette, which are lined up and at the ready for all the hexipuffs I’ve been knitting for my Beekeeper’s quilt; a skein of Shelter, leftover from the Guernsey Wrap I knitted last year which is dying to be knitted into a tweedy beanie; a luscious skein of Jade Sapphire cashmere, waiting for something that is worthy of cashmere; and lots of soft wonderfully tweedy Rowan Felted Tweed, which I am completely in love with and can’t wait to knit with again.

The bottom shelf holds the fabulous crocheted Henry that my sister in law made for me and the panda bear I made after I forced her to show me how to do amigurumi.  I have a basket full of hexipuffs, and some of my favorite knitting books– lots of Elizabeth Zimmerman and a few Vogue Knitting Stitchionaries for good measure.

I’d love to know what yarns and books you’d bring to a stash party.  Please let me know in the comments or post a link to your blog post if you’d like to join in and share.

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